Drug suspect accused of threatening judge

BUCYRUS – A 32-year-old Bucyrus man who’s been in the Crawford County Jail for nearly two months awaiting trial on three drug charges is now facing a new charge following threats he allegedly made concerning the judge in his case.

Gary Poth has been charged with intimidation, a third-degree felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 36 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Poth allegedly made threats against Crawford County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold while in the county jail, where he’s being held on a $1 million bond set by Municipal Court Judge Shane Leuthold, Sean’s brother, in June.

“We are asking law enforcement to continue to investigate this very serious situation,” county prosecutor Matt Crall said. He declined to go into detail about the case.

Poth was formally charged with intimidation before visiting Judge David Faulker of Kenton earlier this week in Crawford County Municipal Court.

Poth, along with two co-defendants, is scheduled to go before Common Pleas Court on Aug. 28 for a motion to suppress evidence, followed by a jury trial currently scheduled to begin Sept. 24. It’s unknown whether Judge Sean Leuthold will take the bench at those times.

“I wouldn’t comment on that; it’s up to the judge,” Crall said.

Poth, along with Joshua J. Keith, 37, of Galion, and April L. Dyer, 31, Bucyrus, was arrested June 10 following a police raid at 902 Maple St. Authorities found 11 grams of so-called “blue-drop” heroin, cash and other evidence of drug trafficking in the house. Two children were also present.

Gary Poth(Photo: Submitted)

Poth was charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a second-degree felony, along with trafficking in heroin, a third-degree felony, and heroin possession, a felony of the fourth degree.

The evidence-suppression hearing on Aug. 28 concerns five hours of audio statements Poth, Dyer and Keith made to police. During Poth’s initial appearance in municipal court in June, assistant county prosecutor Ryan Hoovler said Poth had admitted to authorities selling about 30 grams of heroin every 30 days.

Poth was convicted of assault, a second-degree felony, in 2001 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.